Gritty Subject
Theme of the Week: God's Sandpaper
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
 1 of 1
Key Bible Verse: No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way (Hebrews 12:11). Bonus Reading: Hebrews 12:5-10
Mention the word sanding to anyone and you're liable to get a frown and a rolling of the eyes. No one likes to sand, but the truth is, we won't be pleased with any woodworking project until we do it.
My eyes and nose protest violently every time I sand. Whether it's aggressively removing unwanted material at the belt sander with a 60-grit paper that wants to peel back my skin as easily as the wood, or a light hand sanding with a 600-grit wet-dry paper, I never enjoy the tedious process. I once made the mistake of sanding through a beautiful veneer, leaving a terribly unsightly mark in the work piece, and consigning it to the scrap pile.
Everyone agrees that the best sanding should start with a heavier grit of paper and work upward to the finer grits, perhaps even finishing with steel wool. Though it's hard work, it is very satisfying to run my hand over a tabletop that has gone through all the stages of sanding. It no longer remotely resembles the rough-cut wood I started with.
The same goes for people. Without being sanded down, you can't be all you want to be.
—Hugh Poland in The Master Carpenter
My Response: An area in my life that could use some sanding is …
Thought to Apply: The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor men perfected without trials. —Chinese proverb
Adapted from The Master Carpenter (Judson, 2008) by permission.
Copyright © 2009 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
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Thank you, Lord, for receiving me just as I was. But thank you, also, for your insistence on reshaping me for maximum usefulness in your kingdom.
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